


A Natural Synergy

by otppurefuckingmagic



Series: Malec Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: AU, Confident Alec until he's not, Fluff, Flustered Magnus until he's not, Human Alec, M/M, warlock magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 04:32:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6269803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/otppurefuckingmagic/pseuds/otppurefuckingmagic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From this prompt:</p>
<p>You say you want prompts? Magnus finds a cute but sickly kitten and brings him to the veterinary clinic near his home. It's good that the vet is very cute ♥</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Natural Synergy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AllOfTheFanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllOfTheFanfic/gifts).
  * Translation into Italiano available: [Sinergia Naturale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6467284) by [Katerina_Hummel_Di_Angelo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katerina_Hummel_Di_Angelo/pseuds/Katerina_Hummel_Di_Angelo)



> I took this in a slightly different direction and the word count went out of control, oops ;)

“Don’t take your cat in there if you want it to survive.”

Magnus’ head snaps up at the rough voice and the man coming through the door to the vet’s office. Magnus comes to a stop on the sidewalk and looks up. Then up farther, and even farther up–the man speaking to him is gloriously tall. Climbable really, Magnus thinks, as he surveys the dark-haired stranger who has a scowl on his face.

“Were you speaking to me?” Magnus says, but he’s not concentrating very well right now. All he can see is thick, pink lips, a perfect nose, and cheekbones and a jawline that could be classified as weapons… And Magnus is personally offended.

The man is way more beautiful than should be legally allowed.

The stranger shuts the door to the vet with his free hand (the other wrapped around the handle of a cat carrier) barring Magnus from entering. He leans against the door jamb.

“I know Church is difficult,” the man continues. “But they’re a _vet_ and he’s a _cat_. There should be some natural synergy there.”

“Natural synergy,” Magnus repeats, as if the phrase is going to make more sense by saying it again.

“Theoretically,” the man says, with a twist of his lip that wounds Magnus with its sheer, guileless perfection.

Now Magnus is really lost in the threads of this unexpected conversation, but he’s very sure that’s because he can’t stop staring at the stunning man’s stunning lips.

The man seems to notice exactly where Magnus’ attention is, and he clears his throat, even as pink begins to creep up his cheeks. That the shade flawlessly matches the man’s lips is a detail Magnus definitely doesn’t notice.

“Regardless. I can’t let you go in there. I mean– It’s– I can’t,” the man finally stammers out, all brash confidence gone. He digs the fingers of his free hand into the back of neck, tips his chin down and gives a nervous laugh.

The blush is firmly planted on mountain man’s cheeks now.

The warm ball of fur tucked into Magnus’ chest begins to squirm at that moment and Magnus turns his attention to the abandoned kitten he’d found this morning outside his loft. It’s wrapped in a cashmere blanket and Magnus can feel the press of its bones in his hands.

He’s brought the tiny kitten here because it seemed like the right thing to do. There was very little interaction he needed to have with the mundane world, but when he saw this vulnerable life he wanted to protect it–and using his magic on cats isn’t his specialty. Therefore, a mundane vet seemed like the right option.

And Magnus is sure it was–but for very different reasons now.

The man’s shoulders are hunched, his brow furrowed in worry. He’s carrying the crate for the aforementioned _difficult_ cat Church with a strong, sure hand. Making sure it remains level and doesn’t go swinging, jostling the precious yet apparently _difficult_ contents.

Magnus grins. He loves a challenge.

“I was stopping by just to get some supplies,” he lies. “I’m taking this kitten in. Nursing him back to robust health, as it were. Maybe I could take a look at Church as well. I have some…experience that could be helpful.”

Magnus tells himself this has to be true. Really, how different could it be to heal a cat? He’s the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Feared and revered.

And, quite frankly, _desperate_ to get the living embodiment of Mt. Everest back to his place to find out how gratifying the climb to the…summit would be.

The man narrows one eye and lifts his other eyebrow, dubious. “Are you a vet?”

“A healer of sorts,” Magnus hedges. 

The man looks around as if he’s searching for a better option, then shrugs and pushes away from the door. “I’m warning you now. Church is difficult.”

Magnus waves this consideration away. “As I heard. I assure you–I can handle it.”

****

Magnus can’t handle it.

His hands are covered in scratches that split open every time Magnus bends his fingers.

But Magnus can’t find the energy to care because Alec–or Mt. Alec as Magnus has come to think of him fondly as–is on his knees, hunched over Magnus’ hands with antiseptic and bandages trying to staunch the bleeding as a litany of mumbled apologies tumbles out of his lips.

“It’s fine,” Magnus reassures him again. “Church seems to be doing quite well now.”

Across the room Church hisses, as if he is royalty and Magnus is a peasant, not allowed to address him by his given name. Magnus glares at Church over Alec’s shoulders. Church licks at his paw as he glares back. Magnus is very sure he’s just been given the feline equivalent of the middle finger.

The kitten is balled up on Magnus’ lap, sleeping soundly, but when Magnus winces from the burn of antiseptic on a particularly deep gash, the kitten jumps to his feet and looks around with bleary eyes.

“It’s okay, Chairman,” Magnus says to the kitten.

Alec chuckles and the sound warms Magnus’ heart more than it should. “Chairman?”

“Chairman Meow,” Magnus announces, his back straightening and eyes locking to Alec’s to illustrate just how serious he is.

“You are a goof,” Alec says with a lop-sided smile.

Magnus quirks an eyebrow. Yes, he actually _is_ a goof, but there are some who have known him for hundreds of years and still wouldn’t be able to see that foolish side of him, let alone view it with the fondness he sees on Alec’s face.

“I assure you, I’m quite serious.”

Alec laughs. “I’m sure you think you are.” Alec pushes down the last of the bandages and smooths his hand over them to make sure they’re all secure before he stands up.

“How do you think Church and the illustrious Chairman would get along?” Magnus tests.

Alec’s brow furrows. He looks to be seriously contemplating all of the horrific possibilities before he answers. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

But Chairman eyes Church and leaps to the ground before Magnus’ bandage-trapped hands can grasp on to him and he’s bounding across the floor boldly in Church’s direction. Church doesn’t move. He sniffs at the kitten and Magnus is on the edge of the couch, his hands ready in case he has to cast a quick spell to whisk Chairman away. But Chairman rolls onto his back and bats at Church’s legs. And the _difficult_ cat just…lets him.

The blow to Magnus’ ego is palpable.

Alec eases, sits down on the couch and Magnus pats his knee. “I think Church likes him.”

“I like you,” Alec stammers out, then his eyes go wide, as if that was something he hadn’t intended on saying at all.

Magnus leaves his bandaged hand on Alec’s knee and grins. “I think we may just have some natural synergy here.”

**Author's Note:**

> i'm on tumblr @otppurefuckingmagic ♡


End file.
